Judicial officers and court staff presented several personnel and security requests during the budget meeting.

District judges asked the court to restore a proposed pay adjustment for five court coordinators. The judges had requested a 5 percent raise but said they would accept a 3 percent increase to keep the request more deliverable. County staff produced a cost estimate for a 3 percent increase for five positions (including variable fringe costs) of about $23,649 total; auditors noted any added recurring payroll affects the tax-rate calculation.

Justice-of-the-peace offices asked to standardize pay across JP courts by raising chief court clerks to $58,710 and court clerks to $47,206; Judge Tanner included that adjustment in the proposed budget for the next fiscal year so the line appears in the draft under JP 3. Several commissioners voiced concern about picking out groups for targeted raises while other county employees remain lower paid, and asked for fairness across departments.

At JP 3, judges and constables discussed courthouse security; the JP asked for a metal detector and screening at the courthouse entrance. The county will purchase a metal detector from a special revenue fund for JP courts; the question of who staffs the screening remained unresolved. Constable Dennis Green offered to provide some security but said a full-time deputy would cost roughly $80,000 with benefits and commissioners expressed concerns about adding a full-time employee when usage volumes may be low.

Other court-related items discussed included a $25,000 supplemental request for fill-in bailiffs and a line-item for grand-jury bailiffs (the grand-jury bailiff position is paid part time and paid through the clerk’s office). Commissioners did not take formal votes on these items; several lines remain in the proposed budget pending further review and the Aug. 25 public hearing.

Why it matters: Court operations and courthouse security are core county services; judges and clerks argued that targeted raises address demonstrable pay disparities and operational needs, but commissioners said they must weigh equity across all county employees and the long-term tax-rate consequences of any recurring payroll additions.